His charisma and aura just outstanding: Nagarjuna and 'Coolie' cast on Rajinikanth
The film is set to release in theatres on Thursday and is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, known for projects such as "Kaithi", "Leo" and "Aviyal". Backed by Sun Pictures, "Coolie" also stars Aamir Khan and Satyaraj in pivotal roles.
Nagarjuna attended the music launch event of their film on Monday in Mumbai. He was accompanied by his co-star Shruti Haasan and music composer Anirudh Ravichander.
The actor, who essays the role of a villain in the film, said Rajinikanth has also helped him with the Tamil dialogues.
"Working with Rajini sir is fantastic. Something I will take back home. That man's charisma and aura on set are just outstanding. It was really nice that he helped me with Tamil dialogues and guided me. Though I played the most negative role, I took back something very positive with myself after doing the film," he told reporters.
Asked what made him say "yes" to a negative role, Nagarjuna said he has mostly played good roles, which became, to some extent, boring for him.
"Because I was always playing good all the time, it was getting a little boring. So, I thought, let me play the baddy. Completely enjoyed it, very liberating," he said.
But the actor admitted it took him some time to be convinced by Kanagaraj.
"I made Lokesh work for it. I had to make sure that I was doing the right thing by playing bad... It took almost 7 to 8 meetings before he convinced me," he said.
" straight up baddy. There's no reason why I'm bad. He's that kind of person... He doesn't give a damn about anybody and that's why I enjoyed the role. There was no inhibition, nothing to hold back. And I had Anirudh backing me up with his music," he added.
Haasan said working with Rajinikanth was a dream-come-true moment for her.
"His aura is like that. The minute you encounter him for the first time, you're like, 'Wow, ok, this is like a powerhouse full on'. But I think it was when I saw his face up close, I was like, 'Oh my God, that is Rajini sir," she said.
"It was never something that I even considered. When Lokesh came to me with this, it was already a dream come true. And then as the cast kept growing and people like Nag sir, and then Sathyaraj sir, Soubin sir, Aamir sir, Upendra sir, like the list goes on and on... It really was a great learning experience, truly, as well as the fact that there was just so much good energy all around."
"Everyone was so diligently working on their parts, and they were so passionate about it, and I think that credit goes to our director for being able to pull everything together so positively and successfully," she said.
Distributed by Pen Studios, the film features Rajinikanth as Deva, a former gold smuggler out for revenge.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
11 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Rajinikanth's Coolie OTT release: Where and when to watch Lokesh Kanagaraj's movie after theatrical run
Synopsis Rajinikanth's Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is a massive hit. The film released on August 14, creating a festival-like atmosphere. Amazon Prime Video acquired the OTT rights for a record price. The movie also stars Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir and Upendra. The story revolves around a coolie union leader's quest for truth. The digital premiere is expected during Dussehra. Coolie movie's digital streaming partner is Prime Video. When a Rajinikanth film hits theatres, it's never just a release — it's a festival. This year, the superstar has teamed up with Lokesh Kanagaraj for Coolie, and the result is pure mass-entertainment mayhem. Released on August 14, the action-packed entertainer has taken over cinema halls with early morning special shows, cheering crowds, rallies, fireworks, and towering cut-outs. Social media is awash with videos of fans dancing in aisles and celebrating the film like a cultural event. Critics and audiences alike are hailing Rajinikanth's electrifying screen presence, Lokesh Kanagaraj's whistle-worthy screenplay, and the adrenaline-pumping action sequences. The movie's pan-Indian release, including a wide rollout in North India, has ensured massive buzz beyond Tamil Nadu. Adding to the frenzy, Amazon Prime Video has snapped up Coolie's OTT rights for a record Rs 120 crore — one of the biggest digital deals in Tamil cinema to date. As per reports, the 8-week gap before its streaming debut is designed to maximise theatrical collections while ensuring huge numbers for its digital premiere during the Dussehra weekend. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, Coolie stars Rajinikanth alongside Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj, Rachita Ram, Kanna Ravi, and a special appearance by Aamir Khan. The story follows a former coolie union leader whose quest to uncover the truth behind a friend's death leads him deep into a dangerous crime movie hit the theatres a day before Independence Day.
Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Coolie box office collection Day 1: Rajinikanth delivers biggest opening of his career, but Lokesh Kanagaraj can't beat Leo despite Rs 65 cr debut
Coolie Box Office Collection Day 1: In the recent past, only a few films like Pathaan, Gadar 2, and Leo have delivered blockbuster openings due to their headlining star's massive fan followings, and considering that those movies were led by Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny Deol, and Vijay, it makes sense. But Rajinikanth has yet again proven that his presence in a film is enough to make the ticket windows buzz with activity. His latest endeavour, Coolie, had a massive opening day. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film's India net collection on day one closed at Rs 65 crore, making it the superstar's biggest domestic opening day of his career. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj couldn't have asked for a better start to the theatrical run of his ensemble action thriller. The film surpassed two out of three films from his own LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe). His film Kaithi collected Rs 6.4 cr on its opening day, while the Kamal Haasan-starrer Vikram minted Rs 37.5 crore on its first day. The only film that Coolie couldn't surpass was Leo, starring Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Sarja. The 2023 film made an impressive Rs 76.2 crore on its first day and went on to make Rs 341 crore. Even though Coolie couldn't beat Leo's opening, it did leave behind several of Rajinikanth's previous films. Also read – War 2 worldwide box office Day 1: Jr NTR rescues Hrithik Roshan's film from lowest-ever Spy Universe opening; movie makes Rs 52 crore These include TJ Gnanavel's Vettaiyan (Rs 31.5 cr), Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer (Rs 48.35 cr), Karthik Subbaraj's Petta (Rs 14 cr), and S Shankar's 2.0 (Rs 23 cr). All of these are respectable opening day numbers, with Jailer really swinging for the fences, but Coolie has somehow blown all of these out of the water. It's important to keep in mind that Coolie achieved this feat while another big film released on the same day, also with a 'pan-India' target audience. Ayan Mukerji's high-octane War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani, opened to poor reviews, but the film still collected Rs 52 crore by the end of its opening day. As the films move forward in their theatrical run, it will be interesting to see whether War 2 will be able to catch up to Coolie, despite the burden of poor reviews. The occupancy rates of Coolie remained strong throughout the day, with the average coming out to 86.99%. The morning and afternoon shows achieved rates of 81.95% and 85.13%, while the evening and night shows closed out strong with 86.57% and 94.32%. Coolie has been directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, and the cast of the film includes Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Aamir Khan, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj.
The Hindu
11 minutes ago
- The Hindu
How Tamil cinema plunged into freedom movement after the advent of talkies
An incident recalled by theatre personality and film actor Avvai T.K. Shanmugam in his memoir Enathu Nataka Vazhkai (My Drama Life) explains the popularity of the patriotic songs of 'Madhurakavi' Bhaskara Das, a freedom fighter and the first Tamil lyricist, who was arrested 26 times by the British government. 'He had penned a lot of songs in praise of freedom fighters. I have even heard children begging on the streets singing his songs,' writes Shanmugam, the first to introduce national poet Subramaniya Bharathiyar's songs in plays. Shanmugam, a loyalist of the Congress and wearer of khadi, produced 157 plays for Congress committees in various parts of the State of Madras. Tamil cinema, an extension of Tamil theatre, soon took a plunge into the freedom movement after the advent of talkies. Despite the watchful eyes of the British government, theatre personalities and film-makers introduced nationalist ideas and songs — particularly those of Bharathiyar — into their plays and films. A play banned by the British Bharathiyar's songs were first included in the play Desa Bhakti, which was banned by the British government. The drama also incorporated Gandhi Mahan Kathai, rendered as Villupattu, which was popularised by comedian N.S. Krishnan. 'When the artistes from the stage moved to film studios in the 1930s, they brought with them their ideology, their involvement with the political activism of the Congress, propaganda methods, and, of course, the corpus of songs,' writes film historian Theodore Baskaran in his book, History through the Lens. Desa Bhakti was based on the play Panapurathu Veeran by writer V. Saminatha Sharma. Since the original play was banned, it was performed under the title Desa Bhakti. Bhaskara Das, a Madurai-based playwright, introduced the play to Shanmugam and his brothers, adding some new elements. Explaining how the 'politicisation of Tamil cinema gradually intensified', Mr. Theodore Baskaran says that even in the first Tamil talkie, Kalidas (1931), there was a song praising Gandhian ideals and the chakra, although it was a mythological film. All the songs in the film were penned by Bhaskara Das, and the song Indiarkal Nammavarkalukul Eno Veen Chandai (Why do Indians have unnecessary fights among ourselves?) advocated amity between Hindus and Muslims. 'Typical of this genre was Iru Sagotharargal (The Two Brothers, 1936), which, too, had been a popular play,' writes Mr. Theodore Baskaran. The entry of theatre personalities, who were ardent supporters of the freedom movement, into the film world ensured the continuation of their spirit and ideals in cinema. K.S. Santhanakrishna Naidu of the Arya Gana Sabha, who produced plays aimed at inculcating patriotism in the masses; M.S. Balasundaram, who wrote an elegy for Motilal Nehru; Bhaskara Das, whose song Raatinamaam Gandhi Kai Paanamam echoed across Tamil Nadu; and Boomi Baladoss, who wrote lyrics for films, were among the contributors, says Aranathi Narayanan in his book Tamil Cinemavin Kathai. Many others also acted in films. Among them were M.G. Nataraja Pillai who was arrested for his participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement; S.V. Subbaiah Bhagavatar, arrested for picketing toddy shops; Sundaramurthy Oduvar, who actively participated in the movement against untouchability; and S. Devudu Iyer, arrested for singing songs against the British during the Salt Satyagraha. Though censorship remained a challenge for films carrying messages of the freedom movement, the Government of India Act, 1935, and the 1937 election, in which C. Rajagopalachari was elected the Prime Minister of the Madras Presidency (as the post of Chief Minister was known then), almost brought film censorship to an end. 'Newfound freedom' 'Utilising the newfound freedom, overtly propagandist films supporting nationalistic struggles were made. One such film was Mathrubhoomi (Motherland, 1939), an allegory set against the background of Alexander's invasion of India,' says Mr. Theodore Baskaran. He says K.B. Sundarambal, a star of the stage and the screen, campaigned for the Congress. 'Gramophone discs of propaganda songs by luminaries of the screen, including K.B. Sundarambal, were released. All these artistes had acquired fame and popularity as film personalities, and they used their charisma in the cause of nationalism,' he writes. Another film that kindled the spirit of nationalism was Thyagabhoomi, an adaptation of writer Kalki's novel serialised in Ananda Vikatan. The film was made by taking advantage of the Congress's victory under Rajaji in the 1937 election. Directed by K. Subramanyam, it featured S.D. Subbulakshmi and K.J. Mahadevan in the lead roles. It advocated progressive ideas of marital relationships. The film's storyline dealt with the tensions between a couple. Instead of living a life of fear, the wife becomes a freedom fighter, singing Desa Sevai Seyya Vaareer, popularised by Carnatic vocalist D.K. Pattammal. According to a report in The Hindu, the film was banned by the British government when it assumed power from the Congress, which resigned over the issue of the Second World War. 'The British Indian rulers thought Thyagabhoomi was Congress propaganda. The film features a procession of Gandhi-capped volunteers. Off-screen, D.K. Pattammal sings Desa Sevai Seyya Vaareer,' writes film historian Randor Guy. However, director K. Subramanyam and Kalki screened the film for free at Gaiety Cinema, Madras, until the ban order was officially served on the theatre owners. One person died in the baton-charge at the theatre. As the country inched closer to independence, film producers began including patriotic songs. Naam Iruvar, produced by AVM, which had the rights to Bharathiyar's songs, featured Aaduvome Pallu Paaduvome. It celebrated independence even before it was achieved and was screened in cinemas on the day the country made its tryst with destiny. Meiyappa Chettiar, owner of AVM Studios, recorded the song Thayin Manikodi Pareer and included it in the film. 'After independence, the film actors as a community, who had earlier been backing the cause of the Congress, moved on to support the Dravidian Movement,' writes Mr. Theodore Baskaran.
